Pumping apparatus



E. A. WATTS Nov. 12, 1929.

PUMPING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 1.7. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet l A TofeA/E y Nov. 12, 1929. E, A WATTS 1,735,025

PUMPING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 17. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 rml 7; 5 Hill I INI/ENTOR dn@ QJ. Ja/54,

A TTORNEY Nov. 12, 1929. E. A. wATTs PUMPING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 17. 1927 /N VENTO/e ATTORNEY E. A. wATTs 1,735,025

PUMPING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 17. 1927 4 sheets-sheet 4 IN VEN TOR Q. /@m 2f A TT ORNE Y Nov. 12, 1929;

Patented Nov. 12, 1929 UNITED STATES ELMEB A. WATTS, OF SPRINGFIELD, ORIO PUMPING APPARATUS Application led January 17, 1927. Serial No. 161,516.

My invention relates to pumping apparatus for oil wells.

It is the object of my invention to provide a method of manually controlling the pumping of an oil well stage by stage pneumatically. By manually I mean by hand, or hand controlled power means, and by pneumatically I mean any form of gaseous medium.

It is my object to provide means of conv trolling positively the application of the air to the oil stage by stage and to provide an apparatus which may be readily installed in a well and which will automatically arrange itselt` for operation as desired.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a section through a well having the apparatus of my invention, the ligure showing the top portion of my apparatus as installed in a well;

Figure 1a shows a section through the well illustrating the installation of my apparatus in an intermediate portion of the well;

Figure 1b is a section through the well showing the installation of my apparatus at the bottom of the well;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the upper portion of the operating apparatus of my invention at the top of the well;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; t

Figure 11 is a section on the line 4:-4`of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the well head;

Figure 6 1s an enlarged detail section of the valveJ- and air passage mechanism of o ne of my stage units and the valve lifting mechamsm;

Figure 7 is a section showing thewell and the position of the valve members and valve lifters together with the height of the oil'and the arrangement of the head thereof;

Figure 7a is a section through the casing, tubing anddvalve mechanism at the bottom of the well, showing the arrangement of the apparatus at that point; Figure 8 is la detail side elevation of the valve lifter;

Figure 9 is a plan view of the valve lifter with the cable in section.'

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 is an exit line communicating with the well head 2 having a cover plate 3 and a partition plate 4. The partition plate supports the well tubing 5 so that its upper end empties into the head 2 and communicates with the exit pipe 1. Below the partition plate is a combination of the head in the form of a collar 6 carrying the air pipe 7. This collar is mounted upon the well casing 8. Air under pressure is admitted in the casing through the pipe 7 and proceeds to the bottom of the well where it engages with the surface of the oil in the casing 8 outside of the tubing 5 as at 9. This oil is forced into the tubing through the head on the bottom of the tubing, such head being designated 10 and being provided with a spider 11. The oil Hows into the tubing to a point above the oil on the outside of the tubing forming a head as at 12.

The tubing is oined together at spaced intervals by fittings 13, such fittings being provided with air inlet passageways 14 and 15 located at-right angles with each other and at an angle to the line of passage of the air and the oil so that no matter whether the air comes in through the pipe 7 and the casing 8 and goes out through the tubing 5 or the reverse direction of the -air is utilized, nevertheles's, the air will always be directed in the direction in which the oil should flow. The inner ends of the passage'l are tapered for receiving a tapered tubular valve member 16 whichseals these openings due to the action of gravity upon this valve member, and the openings can only be opened for the admission of air upon the elevation of the valve members by the valve lifter, generally designated 17 carried by the cable 18.

This valve lifter consists of a clamp 19 carrying a pair of overlapping arms 20 which have inwardly turned ends 21 adapted to en- 95 gage with the cable 18 to prevent the outward movement of the arms under the iniuence of gravity. As these arms can overlap one another, the valve lifter can be lowered on the cable through the valve members, 100

but when elevated the valve lifters will bring the valves 16 with them.

The bolts 22 provide for locking the valve lifters in place which may be desired. These valve lifters are spaced at successively greater distances from the valves which they lift as progress is made towards the top of the well so that the lowest valve is lifted first when the cable is elevated, then the second valve and so on so that the air is admitted to the oil successively for elevating the oil stage by stage in the tubing 5.

The same will be true if the air is in the tubing and the oil is in the casing. At the bottom of the cable is provided a weight 23, the end of which rests upon the spider 11.

This cable is fastened at 24 in the first' groove 25 of the drum 26. The drum is mounted upon the shaft 27, journaled in the housing 2 and is so arranged that it not only rotates with the shaft being mounted on the key 28 located in the keyway 29 in the shaft but is also arranged to move longitudinally of the shaft with its key because the key is shorter than the key way and the second groove 30 is engaged by the stationary pin 31.

so that as the shaft is rotated the drum has the compound movement of rotation and lateral movement so as always to maintain the cable centrally within the casing. The shaft 27 is supported by the handle 32 and is controlled further by the ball 38 working in the ratchet 34.

Method of operation Assuming that the air enters the pipe 7 it will descend under pressure in the casing 8 depressing the oil 9 and forcing it into the tubing 5 until its head is located as at 12.

It has been found' that one-half pound of air will elevate the oil one foot. Under the old system of air ejection of oil, it required 1500 to 2000 pounds to elevate the oil from a 4000 foot well. Under my system, by placing my valves 100 feet apart, I only utilize 50 pounds pressure, or, in other words, adjust the distance between my valves so that for one foot of distance between suchF valves, 1 must provide one-half pound of pressure. Thus, as the crank 32 is turned, the lowest valve lifter designated a will lift its corresponding valve b as it is directly in engagement with it. The next valve lifter c is spaced approximately a foot below the next valve l while the next valve lifter e is spaced approximately two feet below the valve f and so on. Thus, the valves are operated one by one, the air is applied to the oil stage by stage and the higher the valve in the well the greater the. distance the valve lifter will travel with the cab-le before lifting the valve member.

1t will be understood that l desire to comprehend within my invention such modications as may be necessary to adapt it to varying conditions and uses.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. 1n combination, a casing, a tubing, means for applying air to said casing, means for admitting air from said casing to the interior of said tubing at intervals in said tubing, a cable passing through said tubing, gravity operated valve closing members for closing the passageways admitting air from the casing to the tubing, valve lifters carried by said cable for successively operating said valve closing members.

2. In combination, a casing, a tubing, means for applying air to said casing, means for admitting air from said casing to the interior of said tubing at intervals in said tubing, a cable passing through said tubing, gravity operated valve closing members for closing the passageways admitting air from the casing to the tubing, valve lifters carried by said cable for successively operating said valve closing members, and a weight on the bottom of said 'cable for maintaining the cable taut.

3. In combination, a casing, a tubing, means for applying air to said casing, means for admitting air from said easing to the interior of said tubing at intervals in said tubing, a cable passing through said tubing, gravity operated valve closing members for closing the passageways admitting air from the casing to the tubing, valve lifters carried by said cable for successively operating said valve closing members, said valve lifters being adapted to pass through said valve closing members when moving downwardly and to be spread open by the ei'ect of gravity so as not to pass when moving upwardly but to take the valve closing members with them in the upward movement of the cable.

4. In combination in a well of a casing, means to suspend a tubing therein, means to apply pressure of air in said casing, said tubing having a plurality of ports at spaced intervals for admitting air from the casing into the tubing, a cable in said tubing, valve lifters in said cable, valve closing members adapted to close the passageways from the casing through the tubing operated by said lifters, means for controlling the lowering and elevating of said cable, and means for maintaining said cable constantly central of said tubing.

5. 1n apparatus of the class set forth, the combination with the well casing, of sectional tubing extending downwardly into the casing to a point adjacent the lower end thereof, means for introducing fluid under pressure into said tubing, a unit through which adj acent sections of the tubing are connected to. gether, said unit having a passageway in continuity with the bore of the tubing and a port through which communication is established between the interior of the tubing and the space between the tubing and the well casing, the inner end of said port being surrounded by an upwardly facing valve seat a weighted valve for cooperation with sai seat, and a flexible member operable from the top of the well for raising and lowering said weighted valve.

6. In apparatus of the class set forth, the combination of a well casing, tubing extending downwardly .through the same into proximity to the lower end of the casing, a plurality of valve bodies inserted in the tubing at suitable intervals, said bodies having passageways in continuity with the bore of the tubing and outlet ports opening into the well casing, a weighted valve for controlling the outlet port of each valve body, and flexible means operable from the top of the well for raising and lowering the weighted valves.

7. In apparatus of the class set forth, the

i combination of a well casing, tubing extend- I ing downwardly through the same into proxiniity to the lower end of the casing, means 'for introducing fluid under pressure into the tubing, valve bodies inserted at spaced intervals within the tubing, each body having a passageway in continuity with the bore of the tubing and provided with a port through which communication is adapted to be established between the interior of the tubing and the space between the tubing and the casing, the inner end of said port being surrounded by a valve seat, a weighted valve member for cooperation with the seat of each valve body, a iexible element operatively connected to said weighted valve members and extending upwardly through the tubing and out the top thereof for seatin the valve member progressively from top to ottom.

8. In apparatus of the class set forth, the combination with the well casin of sectional tubing extending downward yinto the casing to a point adjacent the lower end thereof, a unit through which adjacent sections of the tubing are connected together, Said unit consisting of a hollow cylindrical body internally threaded at top and bottom and having a transverse bridge wall intermediate its ends, said wall being provided with a downwardly converging passageway in continuity withthe bore of the tubing, and a port that opens at its inner end into said passa eway and at its outer end into the space etween the tubing and the well casing, a tubular valve member shaped to lit within said passageway thereby to close the port, and a. flexible element operable from the top of the well and extending through the tubular valve member and having a part for lifting said member. p In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature.

ELMER A. WATTS. 

